Awake, for morning in the bowl of night has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight

And, lo, the hunter of the east has caught the sultan’s turret in a noose of light.

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable – Christopher Howse: ‘A Pilgrim in Spain’.

Cosas de España/Galiza

The crisis of a lack of personnel in the hostelry sector is also hitting the wine sector, where there are fears that there won’t be enough temporary employees to bring in the harvest in September. If only there were immigrants prepared to do the work Spaniards are no longer willing to do . . .

Spain’s World Cup–winning team have made it abundantly clear that they did not want Donald Trump in their victory photos. The official account for Spain’s national football league shared an an altered image of the country’s celebration, snipping the U.S. president out of photos, after he refused to leave the dais. The FIFA World Cup account also cropped Trump out of the shot, having only the president’s shoulder in view.

Spain is preparing for one of the most spectacular astronomical events in decades – a total solar eclipse on August 12 that will bring a rare moment of darkness to large swathes of the country. See the best viewing spots here.

It had to happen . . . The Camino de Santiago is now the centre of a reality TV program. . . . Telecinco premieres “The Path of Truth” tonight at 11:00 PM [Peak viewing time in Spain]. This features 5 pairs of parents and children on the verge of breaking up who will walk the Camino de Santiago. The participants will travel 130km, during which they will have to confront their inner demons, fears and insecurities and culminating in the Praza do Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela, where they will have to make a pivotal decision in their lives. During the trip, the couples will have to step into a boxing ring to vent their anger, share accommodation in a hostel, and receive an unexpected visit: that of Manuel Díaz, the matador ‘El Cordobés’.

Another reality . . . Pv city has a problem with smelly drains, possibly a reflection on a long hot, dry spell of weather. A favourite bar terrace has one running right alongside it. Which doesn’t do much for business.

Talking of the weather . . . . It looks like Galicia will escape the worst of the immense heat coming up from Africa later this week. But it’s rain we actually need

The World Cup

Argentina achieved something miraculous. They united the world against them.

The Middle East War

The latest update from Naked Capitalism. Can the USA sustain it?

The United States of Trump America

Donald Trump is reportedly “earthshakingly angry” after making himself the World Cup’s biggest punchline, with 2 billion football fans now mocking him relentlessly and arguing about whether he looked more like a lost, senile dementia patient, or a pathetic, narcissistic loser.

The moment that proves Trump’s brain is porridge.. Podcast. Video.

The Way of the World

Manners which are said to be obsolete, at least in the advanced West.

Spanish

• De refilón: Obliquely, glancingly, tangentially
• Dispar: Diverse
• Marullero: Scheming

Did you know?

Did Einstein really fail maths?

Finally . . .You Have to Laugh

‘Sparking Wit’: There’s no such thing as a little garlic.

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For new readers: If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here. If you’re passing through Pontevedra on the Camino, you’ll find a guide to the city there.

If you´re thinking of moving to Spain, this link should be useful to you. And this, on the annual costs of owning property here.